Beam compass



Dec. 18, 1951 s. A. NAUHEIM BEAM COMPASS 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed 001;. 22, 1947 TH a mm JNVENTOR. SamueZ AlbQfiiNau heim ATTORNEY-S Dec. 18, 1951 s. A. NAUHEIM 2,579,121

BEAM COMPASS Filed Oct. 22, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. SamueZ'AZbe iNzuheim ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 18, 1 951 25 1, 2 EAM ooMeA-ss "Samuel Albert nachii grlusi in n. Y, Application Octob'crZZ, 1945,,- SerialNo78L39 7 2 rentals. (on. 33-27.)

This invention relatesto drafting instruments and more particularly to beam com-passes.

Where arigid beam -cempass is to "paused for a wide range-of radii, it must either be of dimensions muchgreater than required for drawing smaller rradiior rittnecessitates the-use of attachments to -be applied or removed depend-- ing-on the radius tobe drawn, all of which involves cost and inconvenience, and yet does not afford an instrument useful by the pattern maker or machinist --for inscribi-ng an arc upon-asurf-ace parallel to or at right angles to that of the center point .from which thearcisstruck. I

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide .a device of the above type that is light in weight, compact and sturdy, comprising relatively .few parts that are inexpensive and simple to manufacture without the .need for close precision of workmanship, that is not likely to become out of order, and Whichadmits of -inscribing arcs upon a surface at right-angles or parallel to the surface upon the pivot point of the compass is placed, by means of which .a set. of concentric circles of..slightly different radius may be readily drawn without disassembling the device or manually loosening any parts thereof, and that can be used to'inscribe arcs having a large radius, and yet may be collapsed into a small space for ease in'handling. According to the invention, the device comprises'a plurality of identical, channeled, slotted beams orbars preferably atleast three in number, connected endto .end in lappedrelation through said slots so as .to .be piv'otally and adjustably joined. Identical holders are provided; each hav ing a substantially rectangular slide with a laterally extending mounting block unitarytherewith in which a marking device such as a pencil or pen or a pivot point may be afiixed to extend at substantially right angles to the .bar. The base of that holder whose block mounts the pen or pencil is assembled in thec'hannel of a bar with the pen or pencil carrying mounting 'block'protruding lat-L erally from the bar and, therefore, while held against pivotal displacement, is adjustable lengthwise .of 'saidlbarfor setting the radius. The base, of the duplicate holder whose block mounts the pivot point, is assembled inthe channel of a bar with the pivot point carrying mounting block overlapping the end of said bar and is thus fixedand non-adjustable in position. In the accompanying drawings in which are,

' shown one or more-of various possible embed-i mnts of the several teatures of the invention, l

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view oi the device partly in cross-section with the holders in -ex-- tremerzposition,

Fig, 2 is a perspective view of one of the componentchannel bars,

rl iig. '3=isa topplan view taken along line 3-3 ofFig..- 1,,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the device in collapsed position,

, Fig. -5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device utilizing five sections,

l-Figspfi and 7 are perspective views of the device illustrating two of its possible uses,

.Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the device on a larger scale showing a holder, preferably for apivot point aifixed to the end of one of the channelbars, and

pr'ses a plurality-of identical sections, each comprising a beam or bar II of wood, metal, composition' or the like, inthe form of a channel section to provide maximum strength with minimum weight, and which has ,a longitudinal slot l2 therethrough extending nearly to the ends of the:

bar.

the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 3 andd, three identical bars H are used, numbered l3, Hand 15 and positioned so that bar I! and bars Band 15 are in base to base relationship with the Y-base of eachof the latter two bars engaging the base of intervening .bar I4. The bars are held together with standard fasteners, each of which, as shown herein, comprises a bolt it which extends through the slots 12 of the juxtaposed bars l3, I4 and IS. A washer I 6 encompasses each of said bolts l6 and is retainedby the head thereof between the side Walls of thechannel bars l3 and I5 respectively. vA nut l9, preferably a wing put as shown, having an elongated shank .19

which-extends between the side walls of channel bar v,l Lis threaded on each of said bolts which desirably has an encompassing washer l8 and serves-rigidly to clamp the bars together when tightened, yet afiords a convenient means for enabling the bars to be adjusted with respect "to each other.

-Affixed to the free ends of bars l3 and 15,

respectively, as shown in Figs. 1., -3 and 4; is a lead or a pen, and is illustratively shown :as a

-As-shown Figs. Sand 9,.each of the holdersv and 2!! which preferably are identical, comprises a substantially rectangular slide 23 of width slightly less than the channel '24 in each of said bars so as to fit therein.

Unitary with the slide 23 and extending laterally therefrom is a mounting block 21, preferably equal in thickness to the base of the channel bar and which has an opening there through transversely-of the length of the slide and parallel to the face thereof, in which the pencil 22 or pivot point 2| may be inserted to be retained therein by set screw 28.

The holder is retained against the bar by means of a bolt 25 which extends through a with the end 26 of the bolt rigidly clamping slide 23 in said channel.

By reason of the fit of the slide 23 in the channel, even when wing nut 26 is loosened with respect to the bar, the side walls of the channel prevent rotation of the holder about its retaining bolt 25 and consequently the substantially upright position of the pencil or pivot therein is not disturbed. In Fig. 8 the holder 20' which preferably mounts the pivot point 2!, is shown affixed to the end of one of the channel bars with slide 23 lying in channel 24 and laterally extending block 21 abutting against the end of the channel bar as at 29 and flush therewith. In this position, with wing nut 26 tightly screwed on bolt 25, the holder is rigidly fixed in place and cannot be moved along the channel bar even though wing nut 26 should be loosened. In Fig. 9, the holder 20 which preferably mounts the marking device 22, is shown mounted on one of the channel bars, with slide 23 lying in channel 24 and block 21 extending laterally from the channel bar. Thus, by merely loosening wing nut 26, the holder may be moved to any desired position on thebar. Although the device shown in the drawings preferably has a minimum of three bars, it is within the scope of this invention to provide a beam compass of the above type having only one bar with the holders heretofore described aflixed thereon as previously set forth. With such a single bar beam compass, circles and arcs of relativelysmall' radius could be drawn. By utilizing at least two bars, as shown in Fig. 6, it is possible to inscribe arcs with the pivot point on one surface and the marking device on another surface. It is of course to be understood that where a beam compass of greater length is desired than is possible to achieve with three bars, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, more bars may be added, as shown in Fig. 5.

Where an odd number of bars is used, such as is illustratively shown in Fig. 5 and they are assembled in base to baserelation, an even number of bars would be in one plane and an odd number of bars in another plane. With the holders affixed to thebars (usually the extreme bars) in said latter plane, both the pivot point and pencil would lie in a common plane, and while this arrangement makes for convenience it is not vital to accuracy.

' It is apparent that although large circles can be inscribed with this device, its construction is such that it can be folded into a compact package to facilitate carrying the same. To collapse the device, wing nuts [9 are loosened slightly and the'rea'cro'ss, as shown in Fig. 4. The instrument II- 7 along surface 33.

may conveniently be carried in a box or the like which may have extra bars and holders therein for the purpose hereinafter described.

In Figs. 6 and '7, two uses of the device are illustrated.

In Fig. 6 two surfaces at right angles to each other are shown numbered 3| and 32. The beam compass which is illustratively shown with two bars, isassembledwith bar l5 at right angles to "bar; I 4 An jadditional pivot point holder 20, identical with holders 20 and 20 may be provided which, in conjunction with pivot point holder 20' at the end of bar l4, acts as "an axis around which the device may be moved to inscribe an arc upon the surface 32.

In Fig. '7 two surfaces 33 and 34 are shown which are parallel to each other. Illustratively four. bars are used in this beam compass, upright bar 35 having been added. As shown,

bars l3 and 14 rest on the lower surface 33,

bar 35 is at right angles thereto, arid bar I5 is at right angles to bar 35. A pivot point2lfis' aflixed in the holder 20 at the end of the bar a rod 36 with a rounded end which serves as a slide support for the device in its movement" Bar l5 carries holder 20 in which a pencil 22 is affixed in such a manner that it will ride on surface 34, thus to inscribe;

of the instrument, as for instance by tapping, will cause its length to be increased or a like upward pressure would cause the length to'be decreased, all without slipping from the new setting, and another are or circle can thusnbe drawn which will have a slightly greater or a slightly smallerradius as the case may be than the previous are or circle. By repeating this procedure, a number of arcs or circles of progressively increasing radius can be drawn, limited by.

the maximum length of the beam compass.

Thus the device requires the fabrication of only two distinct elements, a slotted channel bar, illustratively of wood, metal or plastic, and a holder. These parts in any desired number, depending upon the use to which 'the device is to be put, may readily be assembledand set for the variety of uses above described.

By reason of the construction herein set forth, the various units do not have to be in perfect alignment as long as they are securely fastened to each other. Thus precision in manufacturing is not required and the cost is kept low.

The term identical as applied in certain of-v the claims to the beams or bars, and the same term as applied to the holders for the pivot point and marker respectively, is intended to signifyent embodiments of this invention could bev made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illus-" trative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I? claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

of closely 1. A drafting instrument comprising three identical bars, each having a longitudinal channel therein slotted nearly throughout the entire length of the bar, means extending through the slots of adjacent bars for pivotally and adjustably connecting said three bars together in end to end lapped relation with one of said bars intervening between the other two bars, marking and pivot point holders mounted on said other two bars respectively in said channels, at least one of said .holders being slidably mounted thereon, and means rigidly to retain said holders in position on said bars.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said holders are identical, each comprising a substantially rectangular slide and a mounting block unitary with said slide and extending laterally therefrom, and said pivot point holder is aifixed to the end of one of the outermost bars with the slide portion of said holder lying in the channel and said laterally extending block abutting against the end of said outermost bar.

3. A drafting instrument comprising a plurality of bars, each having a longitudinal channel therein slotted nearly throughout the entire length of the bar, means extending through the slots of the bars for pivotally and adjustably connecting said bars together in end to end lapped relation, at least three holders for said instrument, said holders each comprising a substantially rectangular slide mounted in the channel of a corresponding bar, and a mounting block unitary with said slide and extending laterally therefrom, means rigidly to retain said holders in position on said bars, and a marking device for at least one of said holders, and a pivot point for each of the remaining holders.

4, A drafting instrument comprising at least three bars, each having a longitudinal channel therein slotted nearly throughout the entire length of the bar, means extending through the slots in the bars for pivotally connecting said bars together with at least two'of said bars both engaging the base of a third bar, three holders mounted on said instrument, said holders each comprising a substantially rectangular slide mounted in the channel of a corresponding bar, a mounting block unitary with said slide and extending laterally therefrom, at least one of said holders being slidably mounted, a marking device mounted on the mounting block of said 7 slidably mounted holder, one of the remaining holders having a pivot point mounted in the respective mounting blocks thereof, and the other of said holders carrying a rod acting as a slide support and means rigidly to retain said holders in adjusted position on said bars.

SAMUEL ALBERT NAUHEIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

